Naught
by mimire
Summary: Deep down inside, Sasuke's a pretty sentimental guy. But that doesn't change the fact that he'll never understand Naruto. sasunaru friendship.


**Title:** Naught  
**Warnings: **fluff, intended as shounen-ai, but comes off more like friendship...  
**Summary: **Sasuke doesn't really understand Naruto. But that's probably a good thing considering nothing Naruto does ever makes sense.  
**Disclaimer: **_Naruto _doesn't belong to me!

* * *

Sasuke had never actually been to Naruto's apartment. There had never really been any want and, before today, any need – a status quo he had been determined to keep. And yet, there he stood outside the other's door on a gray October morning, one hand ready to pound heavily on the wood, the other clutching tightly around the soft object in his pocket. Sasuke honestly considered common courtesy despite the fact that this was, of all people, Naruto, but irritation soon won out and he simply slipped into the apartment without so much as a knock or vocalized alert.

He had already waited over an hour for Naruto to show for their sparring match. But Naruto had obviously disregarded any ounce of civility possible within him and let Sasuke wait expectantly in the cold morning air wearing nothing but his customary white shorts and blue shirt - the aftereffects of which he was already feeling considering his recent recovery from a severe head cold doing the exact same thing.

Sensing a familiar presence within the back of the apartment, Sasuke made his way to the room and roughly pushed the door open, ready to scold his fickle partner, only to have his line of thought derail entirely by the sight before him, "What the hell are you doing, idiot?"

"Ack!" Naruto spun around in surprise, knocking something to the floor with a loud clatter, but quickly recovered upon recognizing the intruder, "What are _you_ doing here?"

Sasuke blinked at the spots of black on Naruto's tasteless orange jumpsuit, at the black on his hands and the pool of black liquid spilling onto the floor from a forgotten container, and took in Naruto's once bright blonde locks - now a two-tone shade of black streaked with bright blue. Sasuke couldn't reason, for the life of him, how this could possibly constitute as more important than sparring. Enough so that Naruto would completely forget to tell him he wouldn't show. He said as much, adding as an afterthought, "And what is that smell?"

The comment seemed to embarrass an instantly defensive Naruto, "What's it to you? And you didn't answer my question! Haven't you ever heard of knocking, Sasuke-bastard?"

Sasuke remained unfazed, simply raising one fine brow at the boy's words. He didn't bother mentioning that he was only there because Naruto had stood him up. To his credit, Naruto had the decency to look (slightly) less indignant as he muttered, "I colored my hair."

Sasuke resisted rolling his eyes; leave it to Naruto to provide the most obvious and useless answer. Sasuke didn't think he really wanted to know, so he left the unspoken question of why for Naruto to either take or leave. After several minutes of silence, Naruto continued without prompt.

"I just -- Everyone's always gushing about you! So in awe of the great Uchiha! But there's nothing great about you! You don't care about anybody but yourself and everyone likes you anyway!"

"What's your point?"

Naruto growled angrily, "See! That's what I mean! What's so special about Sasuke-bastard, anyway? I couldn't figure it out, so I dyed my hair!"

Sasuke wanted to take that moment to point out Naruto's sheer stupidity, but for once held his tongue.

"I tried making this stuff to match… But it wouldn't shine blue in the light like your hair and it wasn't even the right tone because yours is less obvious and has more shades and is all glossy but none of it worked and I still have no idea what's so special about you or why everyone thinks you're the greatest being since the Fourth!"

Sasuke almost didn't understand the Naruto-logic, and as he processed the rush of words, Naruto whispered something nearly inaudibly.

"I just wanted to know what it was like to be you."

Silence reigned within the room as Sasuke stared at the boy, as Naruto looked everywhere but at him. Taking in the dejected look on Naruto's face, Sasuke made a staggering decision that he hoped would not, one day, mean his defeat.

"Why do you know so much about my hair color?"

Naruto choked. "What? That's all you have to say? Bastard! You're really a bast -- ugh!" Naruto's cries were immediately cut off as something struck him square in the face and landed on the floor. Instinctively, Naruto reached for the offending object, noting the soft feel and the -- cute? -- face sewn onto the head of what he identified to be a fox. "What the hell is this?"

Sasuke looked off to the side, now the one too embarrassed to maintain eye contact, grudgingly admitting, "It's for your birthday." And then nearly grimaced, "Idiot."

Several awkward seconds passed in which Sasuke waited for the expected scathing reply. When none came, Sasuke cautiously glanced at the silent boy who was staring down at the plushie in shock.

"You… _You_ bought me _this_?"

And that was it. Sasuke felt the beginnings of a headache throbbing in his temples, "Idiot. If you don't want it, I'll take it ba – "

"Thank you."

Naruto smirked. Sasuke scoffed.

They both knew the other was smiling.

And Sasuke had, at last, resolved the inscrutable koan that had plagued him in the form of one annoying, lifelong rival, hindering his understanding of dedication and goals and the way in which the two intertwined. Though he would be forever dedicated to attaining that single goal, set in blood and carved in stone, it was undeniable that only Uzumaki Naruto could bring his downfall.

**END **

* * *

**Author Quickies: **

Originally written for an 800 word sasunaru drabble challenge with the following criteria:  
- Sasuke gets/had/has a cold  
- Naruto dyes/dyed his hair  
- A plushie

(I got everything but the sasunaru.) I really admire those who can churn out amazing challenge fics with requirements such as these… Even after trying to edit this, it's wholly unsatisfying. Regardless, thank you for taking the time to read!

**Edited:** 10/20/2006


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